US Friends, Please Tell Congress to Help Stop Child Marriage

Child marriage is forced marriage. Sixty million girls around the world have been forced into marriage before the age of 18, a number that grows by 25,000 child brides every day.

The consequences of this pervasive human rights violation are grim and, often, deadly.

Child brides have a diminished chance of completing their education, resulting in limited opportunities and income-earning potential later in life. These girls also are twice as likely to be beaten or threatened with violence by their husbands than girls who marry later in life. In addition, child marriage is usually accompanied by early child bearing, placing young girls at risk for complications during and after childbirth. In fact, complications associated with pregnancy and childbirth are a leading cause of death for girls ages 15–19 worldwide.

You can take action to help end this practice now!

Ask Congress to co-sponsor and help pass the International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act.

PETITION TEXT, targeting the U.S. House of Representatives

Please Support the International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act

Dear Representative,

You have an opportunity now to take action to prevent child marriage. The bipartisan International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act of 2009 (H.R. 2103/S. 987) would recognize child marriage as a human rights violation, scale up successful approaches to prevent child marriage and integrate child marriage prevention strategies throughout U.S. foreign assistance; therefore, making our efforts to combat child marriage more successful and effective.

Sixty million girls around the world are forced into marriage before the age of 18. These child brides are twice as likely to be beaten or threatened with violence by their husbands compared to girls who marry later in life. In addition, child marriage is usually accompanied by early child bearing, placing young girls at risk for complications during and after childbirth. In fact, complications associated with pregnancy and childbirth are a leading cause of death for girls ages 15-19 worldwide.

But you have the chance to help girls around the world avoid early marriage by co-sponsoring and helping to pass H.R. 2103. Please stand with me today and help bring an end to this heartbreaking violation of girls’ human rights.